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United States Patent |
5,215,452
|
Yamamura
,   et al.
|
June 1, 1993
|
Compressor having an oil pump ring associated with the orbiting shaft
Abstract
Bearing lubrication in a scroll compressor can be reliably effected at a
sufficient flow rate independently of the flow rate of the lubricating oil
supplied to the compression chambers 14 through the provision of a
rotary-type displacement oil pump having a pump ring 25 which is adapted
to orbit by the movement of the orbiting drive shaft 16. In addition, a
lubricating oil sump and an oil intake passage communicating therewith are
provided in close vicinity to the compression mechanism 2, thereby making
it possible to operate the compressor without involving any backward flow
of refrigerant gas in the oil feeding passage over a wide range of
operating speed.
Inventors:
|
Yamamura; Michio (Kusatsu, JP);
Yamamoto; Shuichi (Otsu, JP);
Muramatsu; Shigeru (Kusatsu, JP)
|
Assignee:
|
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. (Osaka, JP)
|
Appl. No.:
|
688599 |
Filed:
|
September 3, 1991 |
PCT Filed:
|
November 2, 1990
|
PCT NO:
|
PCT/JP90/01418
|
371 Date:
|
September 3, 1991
|
102(e) Date:
|
September 3, 1991
|
PCT PUB.NO.:
|
WO91/06770 |
PCT PUB. Date:
|
May 16, 1991 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
Current U.S. Class: |
418/55.6; 418/88; 418/94 |
Intern'l Class: |
F04C 018/04; F04C 029/02 |
Field of Search: |
418/55.6,88,94
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4552518 | Dec., 1985 | Utter | 418/97.
|
4898521 | Feb., 1990 | Sakurai et al. | 418/55.
|
5017108 | May., 1991 | Murayama et al. | 418/55.
|
Foreign Patent Documents |
55-64180 | May., 1980 | JP.
| |
61-19803 | May., 1982 | JP.
| |
58-15787 | Jan., 1983 | JP.
| |
60-196091 | Oct., 1985 | JP.
| |
62-87693 | Apr., 1987 | JP | 418/55.
|
63-9692 | Jan., 1988 | JP.
| |
1-177482 | Jul., 1989 | JP.
| |
Primary Examiner: Vrablik; John J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A scroll compressor, comprising:
(a) a closed container;
(b) a compression mechanism disposed in said container and comprising:
(i) a stationary scroll including a stationary end plate and a stationary
wrap member integral with said stationary end plate and having a
stationary wrap; and
(ii) an orbiting scroll including an orbiting end plate, an orbiting wrap
member integral with said orbiting end plate and an orbiting wrap integral
with a first side of said orbiting end plate, and an orbiting drive shaft
formed on a second side of said orbiting end plate opposite to said first
side of said orbiting plate on which said orbiting wrap is disposed, said
stationary scroll and said orbiting scroll being assembled together such
that said stationary wrap and said orbiting wrap are inter-meshed with one
another to define a plurality of fluid compression chambers in spaces
defined by said stationary and orbiting end plates and said inter-meshed
stationary and orbiting wraps;
(c) a motor disposed in said closed container;
(d) a rotation restraining means for preventing said orbiting wrap member
from rotating but allowing said orbiting wrap member to undergo orbiting
motion relative to said stationary wrap member;
(e) a crank shaft drivable by said motor and including on one end thereof a
main shaft having an open hollow region;
(f) an eccentric bearing arranged within said hollow region of said main
shaft, said orbiting drive shaft being fitted in said eccentric bearing,
whereby when said crank shaft is driven by said motor, said orbiting wrap
member is caused to undergo said orbiting motion relative to said
stationary wrap member;
(g) a bearing member into which said main shaft of said crank shaft is
fitted;
(h) an oil pump including:
(i) an oil pump cylinder inner wall concentric with said main shaft of said
crank shaft and disposed around said orbiting drive shaft;
(ii) an annular pump ring disposed between an outer periphery of said
orbiting drive shaft and said oil pump cylinder inner wall; and
(iii) an oil pump partition arranged between said pump ring and said oil
pump cylinder inner wall, said partition dividing said oil pump into a
suction side and a discharge side;
(i) a lubricating oil sump disposed within said closed container in close
proximity to said compression mechanism;
(j) an oil intake passage extending from said oil sump to said suction side
of said oil pump;
(k) an oil discharge chamber disposed in said closed container; and
(l) an oil feeding passage extending from said discharge side of said oil
pump through said oil discharge chamber and to one of said eccentric
bearing and said main shaft bearing.
2. A scroll compressor as in claim 1, wherein said main shaft includes a
main shaft oil groove and said oil feeding passage is formed so as to be
in fluidic communication with said oil groove, said main shaft oil groove
passing near said outer periphery of said orbiting drive shaft and
extending from inside said hollow region of said main shaft to an outer
peripheral surface of said main shaft without directly opening into said
oil discharge chamber.
3. A scroll compressor as in claim 1, wherein said second side of said
orbiting end plate includes a back surface for closing an end surface of
said oil pump adjacent to a side of said orbiting wrap and wherein said
scroll compressor further comprises an annular sealing band disposed in
close proximity to and on an outside portion of said oil pump cylinder
inner wall, said annular sealing band dividing said back surface of said
orbiting end plate into a first surface upon which discharge gas pressure
of said oil pump is applied and a second surface upon which a pressure
lower than a discharge pressure on an outside of said orbiting end plate
is applied.
4. A scroll compressor as in claim 1, wherein said orbiting drive shaft
includes on its surface an orbiting drive shaft oil groove, having an end
portion in fluid communication with said oil discharge chamber, for
feeding oil from said oil discharge chamber to said eccentric bearing.
5. A scroll compressor as in claim 4, wherein said end portion of said
orbiting drive shaft oil groove which is in fluid communication with said
oil discharge chamber is disposed to face said discharge side of said oil
pump when said orbiting drive shaft approaches said discharge side of said
oil pump during said orbiting motion.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to lubrication in a scroll compressor.
BACKGROUND ART
As prior-art examples of structures related to lubrication in a scroll
compressor of the type in which the pressure on the discharge side acts on
the electric motor, the lubricating oil sump, etc., reference will be made
to Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-19803 (Lubricating Device in a
Scroll Fluid Machine) and the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,518
(Scroll Machine). FIG. 1 shows the structure of the scroll compressor
disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-19803 mentioned above,
which includes a closed container 101, which contains a compression
mechanism 102, an electric-motor stator 103 fixed in position therebelow,
and further below the same, a lubricating oil sump 104 for gathering
lubricating oil. The compression mechanism 102 comprises: a stationary
scroll wrap member 107 having a stationary scroll wrap 106 which is
integrally formed on a stationary end plate 105; an orbiting scroll wrap
member 110 having an orbiting scroll wrap 108 which is formed on an
orbiting end plate 109 and which is engaged with the stationary scroll
wrap 106 so as to define a plurality of compression chambers 111; a
rotation restraining member 112 which prevents the orbiting scroll wrap
member 110 from rotating so as to allow it to make an orbiting movement
only; a crankshaft 115 having an eccentric drive shaft 114 which is
adapted to cause an orbiting drive shaft 113 provided on the orbiting end
plate 109 to make an eccentric orbiting movement; a bearing member 119
having a first and second main shaft bearing 117 and 118 which support a
main shaft 116 of the crankshaft 115; etc. Further, a frame body plane 120
on the orbiting-end-plate side of the stationary end plate 105 and an
orbiting-end-plate surface 121 on the stationary-end-plate side of the
orbiting end plate 109 are so arranged as to slidably abut against each
other, and, at the same time, an intermediate pressure hole 122
communicating with the compression chambers 111 is provided in the
orbiting end plate 109 so as to keep the pressure in a back-pressure
chamber 123 on that side of the orbiting end plate 109 which is opposite
to the orbiting scroll wrap 108 at a pressure level which is intermediate
between the discharge pressure and the intake pressure. Refrigerant gas,
sucked into the compression mechanism 102 through an intake pipe 124 of
the compressor, is compressed in the compression chambers 111, and then
discharged through a discharge outlet 125. It then passes through a
peripheral passage 126 around the compression chambers 111 and is
discharged to the exterior of the compressor through a discharge pipe 127.
The lubricating oil in the lubricating oil sump 104 is supplied by way of
an eccentric oil feeding path 129 extending through the main shaft 116 of
the crankshaft 105 and a first branch oil feeding path to the second main
shaft bearing 118. That portion of the lubricating oil which flows through
the oil feeding path 129 and a second branch oil feeding path 131 passes
through an oil groove on the outside of the main shaft 116 and lubricates
the first main shaft bearing 117 before it reaches the back-pressure
chamber 123. The lubricating oil supplied to the bottom portion 133 of the
orbiting drive bearing 113 after passing through the eccentric oil feeding
path 129 undergoes pressure reduction in the gap between the eccentric
drive shaft 114 and the orbiting drive bearing 113 and is discharged into
the back-pressure chamber 123. The lubricating oil which is in the
back-pressure chamber 123 passes through the intermediate pressure hole
122, etc. and flows through the compression chambers 111, where it is
compressed and discharged out of the compression mechanism along with the
refrigerant. That is, all of the lubricating oil which has lubricated the
first main shaft bearing 117 and the orbiting drive bearing 113 ultimately
enters the compression chambers 111. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing
the structure of the scroll compressor which is disclosed in the
specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,518, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged view
showing a part of the same. A closed container 201 contains a compression
mechanism 202, below which the stator of an electric motor 203 is fixed in
position, and, provided further below the same is a lubricating oil sump
204 for gathering lubricating oil. The compression mechanism 202
comprises: a stationary scroll wrap member 207 having a stationary scroll
wrap 206 which is integrally formed on a stationary end plate 205; an
orbiting scroll wrap member 210 having an orbiting scroll wrap 208 which
is formed on an orbiting end plate 209 and which is engaged with the
stationary scroll wrap 206 so as to define a plurality of compression
chambers 211; a rotation restraining member 212 which prevents the
orbiting scroll wrap member 210 from rotating so as to allow it to make an
orbiting movement only; a first and a second bearing member 219 and 219a
which respectively support a first and a second main shaft 216 and 216a of
a crankshaft 215, which has an eccentric drive bearing 214 that is adapted
to cause an orbiting drive shaft 213 provided on the orbiting end plate
209 to make an eccentric orbiting movement; etc. The closed container 201
is divided by a supporting frame body 220 provided in the compression
mechanism 202 into an upper section which constitutes an intake chamber
221 where intake pressure is predominant and a lower section which
constitutes a discharge space 222 where discharge pressure is predominant.
Further, there is provided an annular sealing band 224 which slidably
abuts against an orbiting-end-plate back surface 223 on that side of the
orbiting end plate 209 which opposite to the orbiting scroll wrap 208 and
which divides this orbiting-end-plate back surface 223 into a surface in
the central portion upon which the pressure of the discharge gas acts and
a surface upon which a pressure lower than the discharge pressure acts.
Further, the lubricating oil in the lubricating oil sump 204 is led
through an oil feeding capillary tube 225 to an inlet 226 of the
compression mechanism 202, and is compressed in the compression chambers
211 together with the refrigerant gas sucked into the compression
mechanism 202 through an inlet pipe 211 of the compressor. Afterwards, it
is discharged through a discharge hole 228 which is provided in the
orbiting drive shaft 213, and is centrifugally separated from the
discharged refrigerant gas in an oil separation chamber 229 provided in
the crankshaft 215. Then, it passes from the eccentric bearing 214 and by
the the vicinity of the orbiting-end-plate back surface 223 and is
supplied to the first main shaft bearing 217. Meanwhile, the discharge
refrigerant gas having left the oil separation chamber 229 cools the
electric motor 203 as indicated by the arrows, and is then discharged out
of the compressor through a discharge pipe 230.
In both of the above-described scroll compressors, a high bearing load is
applied to the orbiting drive bearing, the eccentric bearing, the first
main shaft bearing, etc., so that a high lubricating-oil flow rate is
needed. However, the flow rate at which lubricating oil is supplied to
these bearings can only be equal to or lower than the flow rate at which
it is supplied to the compression chambers, with the result that
lubricating oil is supplied to the compression chambers at an excessive
flow rate. However, the lubricating oil sump is situated in the discharge
space, so that it is at a high temperature and contains a considerable
amount of refrigerant. Accordingly, if lubricating oil enters the
compression chambers at an excessive flow rate, the efficiency of the
compressor is materially deteriorated by the quantity of heat this
lubricating oil possesses and this refrigerant. Suppose, for example, the
flow rate at which lubricating oil enters the compression chambers is set
at a large value in order to prevent these bearings from being damaged or
a large bearing loss from being generated during high speed operation.
Then, the flow rate of lubricating oil remains high even when the
compressor is being operated at low speed because the flow rate of
lubricating oil depends upon the difference between the pressure in the
back-pressure chamber and the discharge pressure, with the result that the
flow rate of lubricating oil with respect to the discharge amount becomes
excessively high, thus materially deteriorating the compressor efficiency.
Apart from this, compressors for room air conditioners nowadays are in
many cases made in a minimum closed-container body diameter with a view to
meeting the demand for a reduction in size and weight, with the stator of
the electric motor being directly fixed to the inner wall. In a compressor
having such a reduced body diameter, on the other hand, the diameter of
the lubricating oil sump is also naturally small, with the result that the
height of the lubricating oil level greatly varies depending on the
operating condition. In such a case, it is necessary to arrange the
discharge pipe at a position spaced away from the lubricating oil sump in
order to prevent a large amount of lubricating oil from being taken out
from this discharge pipe. Accordingly, in a compressor of the type in
which the electric motor is arranged below the compression mechanism and
the closed container of which has a relatively small outer diameter, the
discharge pipe must be arranged above the electric motor, as in Japanese
Patent Publication No. 61-19803 mentioned above. In such a compressor,
however, arranging the discharge pipe above the electric motor entails the
following the problem: Since the discharge outlet of the compression
mechanism is above the electric motor, it takes a very complicated
structure to form a discharge-refrigerant-gas passage which will bring the
discharged refrigerant upwards again by way of the portion below the
electric motor to discharge it out of the compressor through the discharge
pipe. In the lubrication system according to Japanese Patent Publication
No. 61-19803 mentioned above, the centrifugal force generated by the
rotation of the eccentric oil feeding path is rather weak when the
rotating speed of the electric motor is low, so that, in some cases, an
oil pressure which is high enough to allow the oil to reach the first
branch oil feeding path cannot be obtained. In such a case, there is the
danger of the refrigerant gas in the discharge space flowing backwards
through the bearing gap in the second main shaft bearing or the oil
feeding passage into the first-branch oil feeding path, thereby hindering
the lubrication. In the case of the example shown in the specification of
U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,518 mentioned above, the oil feeding passage leading
to the eccentric bearing 214, the end-plate back surface 223, and the
first main shaft bearing 217, is filled with a small amount of lubricating
oil and a large amount of discharged refrigerant air, which have been
separated from each other in the oil separation chamber 229, so that a
large amount of gas exist on the high pressure side which is inside the
annular sealing band 224. As a result, the sealing effect of the annular
sealing band degenerates to allow a large amount of discharged refrigerant
gas to leak towards the compression chambers, thereby hindering the normal
operation of the compressor, deteriorating the compressor efficiency, etc.
Further, even if a large amount of lubricating oil can be supplied to the
end surface of the main shaft of the crankshaft in a structure in which an
eccentric bearing is arranged inside the main shaft of the crankshaft, as
in the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,518 mentioned above, by an
appropriate means different from that of this patent, a high pressure will
be generated in that portion of the lubricating oil which is around the
outer periphery of the main shaft by the rotation of the end surface of
the main shaft when the operating speed of the compressor is high, so that
if the oil feeding passage of the main shaft opens there, a large amount
of lubricating oil may flow disproportionately through that oil feeding
passage, resulting in a shortage in the amount of oil that is fed to the
eccentric bearing on the inside.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The above-mentioned problems in the prior-art scroll compressors described
above are solved by a first technical means, according to which a closed
container contains an electric motor and a compression mechanism that is
driven by the electric motor, the compression mechanism comprising: a
stationary scroll wrap member having a stationary scroll wrap which is
integrally formed on a stationary end plate; an orbiting scroll wrap
member having an orbiting scroll wrap which is formed on an orbiting end
plate and which is engaged with the stationary scroll wrap so as to define
a plurality of compression chambers; a rotation restraining member which
prevents the orbiting scroll wrap member from rotating so as to allow it
to make an orbiting movement only; a crankshaft adapted to cause the
orbiting scroll wrap member to make an eccentric orbiting movement; and a
bearing member which supports a main shaft formed at one end of the
crankshaft; discharge gas from the compression mechanism being discharged
into a space containing the electric motor and the above-mentioned
electric motor, an orbiting drive shaft being formed on that side of the
orbiting end plate which is opposite to the orbiting scroll wrap, this
orbiting drive shaft being fitted into an eccentric bearing which is
arranged eccentric inside the main shaft of the crankshaft, an annular
pump ring being provided between the outer periphery of this orbiting
drive shaft and an oil-pump-cylinder inner wall provided concentric with
respect to the center of the main shaft of this crankshaft, an oil pump
partition for division into a suction side and a discharge side being
arranged between this pump ring and the oil-pump-cylinder, thus building
up an oil pump, a lubricating oil sump being provided in close vicinity to
the above-mentioned compression mechanism, an oil intake passage being
provided such as to extend from this lubricating oil sump to the suction
side of the oil pump, and an oil feeding passage being built up which
allows oil feeding to be effected from an oil discharge outlet of this oil
pump through an oil discharge chamber to the above-mentioned eccentric
bearing or the above-mentioned main shaft bearing.
A second technical means for solving the problems comprises, in addition to
the above first technical means, an arrangement in which the oil feeding
passage from the oil discharge chamber to the main shaft bearing is
allowed to communicate with a main shaft oil groove which is provided in
such a manner as to pass by the vicinity of the surface of the
above-mentioned orbiting drive shaft and as to extend from the inside of
the above-mentioned main shaft to the surface thereof without directly
opening into the oil discharge chamber.
A third technical means for solving the problems comprises, in addition to
the above first technical means, an arrangement in which the closing of
that end surface of the above-mentioned oil pump which is on the side of
the orbiting scroll wrap is effected by the orbiting-end-plate back
surface on that side of the orbiting end plate which is opposite to the
orbiting scroll wrap, and in which provided on the outside of the
above-mentioned oil-pump-cylinder inner wall and in close vicinity thereto
is an annular sealing band, which divides the orbiting-end-plate back
surface into a surface upon which the discharge gas pressure of the
above-mentioned oil pump acts and a surface upon which a pressure that is
lower than the discharge pressure outside the orbiting end plate acts.
A fourth technical means for solving the problems comprises, in addition to
the above first technical means, an arrangement in which there is provided
on the surface of the orbiting drive shaft an orbiting-drive-shaft oil
groove for feeding oil from the above-mentioned oil discharge chamber to
the eccentric bearing. A fifth technical means for solving the problems
comprises, in addition to the above-mentioned fourth technical means, an
arrangement in which that end portion of the orbiting-drive-shaft oil
groove which is on the side communicating with the oil discharge chamber
is provided at such a position where it faces the oil discharge outlet
when this orbiting drive shaft comes close thereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 through 3 are sectional views of prior-art examples;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a scroll compressor in accordance with an
embodiment of the present invention;
FIGS. 5 and 6 are sectional views showing essential parts of the same; and
FIGS. 7(a) through 7(c) are a partially broken away front view, a front
view, and a plan view, respectively, showing essential parts of the same.
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
As an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal
sectional view of a scroll-type electric compressor; FIG. 5 shows a
partial enlarged view of the compression mechanism of the same; FIG. 6
shows a detailed sectional view of the oil pump section of the same; and
FIG. 7 shows a detail of the oil feeding passage to the main shaft
bearing. A compression mechanism 2 is fixed in position in the lower inner
section of a closed container 1. Fixed in position above this is the
stator 4 of an electric motor 3 for driving this mechanism. A crankshaft 6
for driving the compression mechanism 2 is connected to the rotor 5 of
this electric motor 3, and that portion of the lower section of the closed
container 1 which is around the compression mechanism 2 is formed as a
lubricating oil sump 7. The compression mechanism 2 comprises: a
stationary scroll wrap member 10 having a stationary scroll wrap 9 which
is integrally formed on a stationary end plate 8; an orbiting scroll wrap
member 13 having an orbiting scroll wrap 11 which is formed on an orbiting
end plate 12 and which is engaged with the stationary scroll wrap 9 so as
to define a plurality of compression chambers 14; a rotation restraining
member 15 which prevents the orbiting scroll wrap member 13 from rotating
so as to allow it to make an orbiting movement only; an orbiting drive
shaft 16 provided on that side of the orbiting end plate 12 which is
opposite to the orbiting scroll wrap 11; an eccentric bearing 17 which is
provided inside a main shaft 18 of a crankshaft 6 and into which the
orbiting drive shaft 16 is fitted; a bearing member 21 having a main shaft
bearing 19 supporting the main shaft 18 of the crankshaft 6; and an
end-plate-movement restricting surface 23 which is spaced away by a minute
gap from an orbiting-end-plate back surface 20 on the back surface of the
orbiting end plate 12 and which is adapted to restrict the axial movement
of this orbiting scroll wrap member 13. An oil-pump-cylinder inner wall 24
is provided between the main shaft 18 of the crank shaft 6 and the
orbiting-end-plate back surface 20. A pump ring 25 is provided between the
outer periphery of the orbiting drive shaft 16 and this oil-pump-cylinder
inner wall 24. One end of this oil-pump-cylinder inner wall 24 is closed
by the orbiting-end-plate back surface 20, and the other end thereof is
closed by an oil-pump end plate 26. Provided between the pump ring 25 and
the oil-pump-cylinder inner wall 24 is an oil pump partition 29, which
divides the oil pump into two regions: the region on the side of an oil
suction inlet 27 and that on the side of an oil discharge outlet 28, and
this oil pump partition 29 is fitted into an oil-pump-partition groove 30
which is provided on the pump ring 25. Thus, an oil pump is built up. The
lubricating oil in the lubricating oil sump 7 is sucked into this oil pump
through an oil inlet passage 31 and enters an oil discharge chamber 32
through the oil discharge outlet 28. Part of the lubricating oil in the
oil discharge chamber 32 leaves the vicinity of the surface of the
orbiting drive shaft 16, and flows by way of main-shaft oil feeding
passages 33 and 34. It is then led to an main-shaft oil groove 35 which is
provided on the surface of the main shaft in such a manner as not to
directly communicate with the oil discharge chamber 32, and, after
lubricating the main shaft bearing 19, it is discharged into a balance
weight chamber 36. The remaining portion of the oil in the oil discharge
chamber 32 passes through an orbiting-drive-shaft oil groove 38, which is
formed on the surface of the orbiting drive shaft 16 and which has an
orbiting-drive-shaft oil-groove inlet 37 at a position near the oil
discharge outlet 28 where it faces the same, and lubricates the eccentric
bearing 17. Afterwards, it passes through a lubricating oil discharge
outlet 39 of the crank shaft 6 and is discharged into the balance weight
chamber 36. Provided on the end-plate-movement restricting surface 23 on
the outside of the oil-pump-cylinder inner wall 24 is an annular sealing
band 62, which divides the gap between the end-plate-movement restricting
surface 23 and the orbiting-end-plate back surface 20 into a surface
portion upon which the discharge pressure on the oil pump side acts and a
surface portion upon which a pressure lower than the discharge pressure in
the outer peripheral section acts. This annular sealing ban 62 is provided
in such a manner as to be slidable on the orbiting-end-plate back surface
20. In this embodiment, the pressure in the outer peripheral section of
the orbiting-end-plate back surface 20 is at a level which is intermediate
between the discharge pressure and the intake pressure. The refrigerant
gas, sucked in through an inlet pipe 50 of the compressor, passes through
an accumulator 51 and enters the compression mechanism 2 through an inlet
52 thereof. It is then compressed in the compression chambers 14 and flows
through a discharge outlet 53, the inside of a discharge muffler 54, a
discharge passage 55 provided in the stationary end plate 8, and a
discharge passage 56 provided in the bearing member 21. It is then
discharged into an under-motor discharge chamber 57 which is provided
between the electric motor 3 and the compression mechanism 2. This
discharged refrigerant gas passes through a passage 58 in the periphery of
the electric motor and a discharge chamber 59 above the electric motor and
cools the electric motor 3. Afterwards, it passes through a discharge
chamber 60 to be led to the exterior of the compressor through a discharge
pipe 61.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
The effect obtained by one feature of this invention according to claim 1
is that the flow rate of the lubricating oil supplied to the bearings can
be set independently of the flow rate of the lubricating oil supplied to
the compression chambers. Moreover, since a displacement-type oil pump of
a very simple structure is used and the lubricating oil sump is arranged
in the vicinity of the compression mechanism, there is no risk that an
obstruction to oil feeding will be caused by a backward flow of discharge
gas, etc., thus ensuring a high level of reliability and long service life
of the bearings with a small-sized structure and at low cost while
retaining the compression efficiency at a high level over a wide range of
operating speed. Further, due to the structure in which the lubricating
oil sump is arranged, as stated above, in the vicinity of the compression
mechanism, the cooling passage for cooling both ends of the electric motor
with the discharge refrigerant gas can be formed with ease.
According to another effect obtained by this invention, in addition to the
above-noted effect, there is no risk that lubricating oil flow will
disproportionately concentrate in the main shaft oil groove, and further,
that the lubrication of the main shaft bearing and that of the eccentric
bearing can be made perfect by effecting the oil feeding to the main shaft
by way of the vicinity of the surface of the orbiting drive shaft.
According to yet another effect obtained by this invention, in addition to
the above-cited effects, since lubricating oil is supplied densely to the
orbiting-end-plate back surface and the inner periphery of the annular
sealing band by means of the oil pump, there is no danger of a large
amount of refrigerant gas passing this section to enter the compression
chambers, so that the efficiency of the compressor can be maintained at a
high level.
According to still another effect obtained by this invention, in addition
to the above-discussed effects, the oil feeding to the eccentric bearing
is effected through the orbiting-drive-shaft oil groove which is formed on
the surface of the orbiting drive shaft adapted to make an orbiting
movement, so that no large centrifugal force is applied to the lubricating
oil, thus making it possible to reliably effect the oil feeding to the
eccentric bearing.
According to a further effect obtained by this invention, in addition to
the above-described effects, lubricating oil is discharged into the inlet
of the orbiting-drive-shaft oil groove directly in the vicinity of the oil
discharge outlet of the oil pump, so that the oil feeding to the eccentric
bearing can be effected still more reliably and economically.
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